
22
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON QUARTERLY
dents that had occurred during the days of His earthly mm-
istry, when His disciples were blessed with His personal pres-
ence. Untiringly they dwelt upon His teachings and His
miracles of healing. With quivering lips and tearful eyes
they spoke of His agony in the garden, His betrayal, trial,
and execution, the forbearance and humility with which He
had endured the contumely and torture imposed upon Him
by His enemies, and the Godlike pity with which He had
prayed for those who persecuted Him. His resurrection and
ascension, and His work in heaven as the Mediator for fallen
man, were topics on which they rejoiced to dwell. Well might
the heathen call them Christians, since they preached Christ,
and addressed their prayers to God through Him.
"It was. God who gave to them the name of Christian. This
is a royal name, given to all who join themselves to Christ"—
Id.,
page 157. See James 2: 6, 7; 1 Peter 4: 16, 14.
5.
It is the Lord's plan to carry on His work through human
agencies, and He therefore desires a spirit of harmony and
unity to prevail among His workers. He sent Peter to Cor-
nelius, and Philip to the eunuch, though angels were already
on the ground and might have done the, work. He specially
guided Philip, but led Peter down from Jerusalem to bind
off his work. Saul went up to counsel with Peter. With
such experiences as Saul and Peter had in being specially
called of the Lord to lead out in giving the gospel to the gen-
tiles, they, if any one, would seem justified in going their own
way, without counsel. But here is Peter carrying out a de-
liberate plan to maintain unity between workers and believ-
ers. Those who profess nowadays a special call to lead off
from the body into some way of their own, may well take
heed to the lesson. God is not the author of confusion.
6.
The power of the Spirit working with Peter among the
gentiles, and accompanying, his rehearsal of this work to the
church, broke down prejudices cherished by the Jews for cen-
turies. Can we not depend on the same power to break down
the strongest and most deep-seated prejudices, as we give the
last message of warning to the world?
7.
How many times we read in these chapters that the
early apostles "preached Christ," or preached the Lord Jesus,
or preached the Word, or similar expressions! Their preach-
ing was simple and direct, and often resulted in many con-
versions from a single sermon or in a single day. In these
days of much learning, we may well beware of departing
from the simplicity of Christ and of preaching Christ.
8.
If
every
man who believes the third angel's message
would give according to his
ability,
how quickly the work
could be finished!
Some
do, but not
every
one. Some give
money, some give their children, some give themselves. Let
all
be sure they give according to their
ability